Paul Roberts

My default is spinning too. Except for a few techniques. I bought my first casting rig bc I was wearing out a spinning reel burning spinnerbaits. For crank-intensive techniques, like SBs and CBs, I prefer casting gear. The other place I prefer a casting rig is when I have to winch bass out of heavy cover. I actually broke the handle off a Daiwa BG-15 a couple years ago winching a bass out of slop . It was the earliest in the season I'd seen slop develop and the bass were in there. I start each year with M and MH spinning tackle, and by mid-summer I'm 50:50 spinning (MH/H) and casting because of vegetation growth. If you are happy with your fishing as is -don't fix what isn't broke. Let your fishing dictate what you need. I also agree with the advice of not trying to rush to learn casting gear during a tournament situation.

It's pretty common all over. Managers are rarely trained in what they are REALLY managing -people. If this is a lack of communication, this ought to be a wake-up call. If it's a matter of values -it sounds like a top down overhaul might be necessary.

Biggest hurdle is the casting. It's NOT intuitive. Read, watch a video, or better yet, get a lesson or two. It'll save you time and frustration. As with any fishing, it comes down to control. With fly tackle, this is a real challenge.

Wow. Darn-it, so far I can't break my LTA! ;D

Ouch, Roger.

I used to be anal about line color and finish. I could write a long diatribe about why I thought so. Still am really -old myths die hard LOL. I never seemed to notice that my buds using fluorescent mono caught fish too. Anyway, some perspective: A friend (a former successful tournament angler who catches 1000 bass a year) has been experimenting with fluorescent braid. He now ties direct -that is, no leader. Fluorescent yellow or red line tied directly to his jig! He took over 200 bass this way this fall. He was even top rod amongst his buds a few times. A quote from Brian (T9 here): "...Again continued to throw the jig on the flame green Fireline. It's to the point now where I don't even question tying directly to the bait. ..." Here's Brian's explanation: Some links to his results: http://www.bigindianabass.typepad.com/big_indiana_bass/page/5/ http://www.bigindianabass.typepad.com/big_indiana_bass/page/6/

I use kite string as filler, then load about 120yrds on. After that I change the top 80 to 100 as needed. I use a single Uni to put line over string. I use a blood knot to connect fishing lines.

Ditto. Swimming a jig is technique first, a lure configuration second.

There are times when a smaller bait will work better -usually high vis/calm conditions. But, I've too often been surprised how large a lure bass will be willing to tackle. I've told myself to remember not to be afraid of a BIG lure. I drew the line once with a giant spinnerbait with a giant willow blade that created a wake that actually lapped both shorelines of the pond I was fishing LOL. I decided to add that bait to my musky box, or pull it out when I finally get to Mexico. But in choppy conditions, I have no doubt it would take reg'lar sized bass right and left. Since you are concerned with turning away smaller fish, and this can happen, stick with a standard sized bait. Again, like anything, adjust to the conditions at hand. If you have good SB water and like to throw 'em, you may actually need a range of sizes.

Very cool. Love to see people busy building something REALLY useful. Is that lunch in there too? Can I go? Unless it's all real flat, you might need to lower the center of gravity a bit. But I guess you'll see. 8-)

Read read read. LOTS out there. The articles section on this site will get you on the ground and running by then. One tip: Don't spend a whole lot right off -don't get carried away -yet LOL. Let the waters you fish dictate what you need. That'll come.

Here's a Matzuo: I believe it's the same plug as yours.

My question too. Where do you fish? What are your waters like in terms of clarity and cover? Do you have more than one outfit?

Ditto. That's the short uncomplicated answer. I fish the two differently though. I use "swimming tail" worms for swimming retrieves, and straight tails for mostly non-swimming retrieves: crawling, on the fall, wacky, ... The U-Tail is a small slim worm I use for finesse presentations. I like larger swimming worms much of the time though. All swimming worms I boil the tails so they swim at the slowest speeds -the U-Tails especially bc they come a little stiff.

Left: Look like Poe's, but I bet they are home-made. Right: Dunno. Recent Matzuo's?

Wonderful. Thanks, Ed.

Sensation is a good line. It has very good break strength to diameter ratio, meaning it's pretty thin for it's break strength. It handles very well. It's touted as a low stretch line which is advertised to offer greater sensitivity. It also likely means it's break point is likely to come up quick, compared to softer stretchier lines like XL, and "shock resistant" formulas like Big Game, and now XT. I believe XT used to be a low stretch, from tests I did years ago, but it's been reformulated. I remember it only stretched so far, then POP!. I assume Sensation is this way but I've not tested it. I liked Sensation when I used it, and wouldn't hesitate to use it again. As with any line, pick one and get to know it. Lotsa good choices out there now.

Such is fishin'. Thanks for the follow up.

Very cool.

I knew of a particular place where walleyes targeted concentrated shad under bridge lights. I found these walleyes could learn to discern lures. I'd catch three on a particular plug, then only get short strikes, then nothing. So I'd switch plugs, and start the series again. It got so I would start my fishing at that spot with a half dozen plugs layed out. And I'd go through em one at a time. Showed me that fish can discern seemingly subtle (to us) things about lures and retrieves, and their response can vary greatly to these seemingly subtle differences. I found when fishing for stream smallies that I could run a certain lure through a pool, and catch two bass. Then nothing. Switch to another lure type and catch another one. Then nothing. Switch again, another fish. But, as RW mentions, there are lures fish have a harder time discerning, and with a small earthy colored jig I could catch a bunch from a given pool enough to satisfy me and end the experiment lol. I found a lure that those walleyes above had a hard time learning too. It was a soft plastic swimbait, that hunted. It's called the Litl' Fishie, originally made by Knight (in the 80's). It's been sold to Crème and is on their website. In the heritability study I mentioned above, the researcher's asked the obvious question: If a population of bass can become less catchable over generations, why do we still catch them, in good numbers? They felt the answer was technology angler's ability to devise and refine lures and technique, not to mention the fish finding technology at our disposal as well as the sheer amount of good information readily available to anglers now. People are pretty ingenious. I for one don't like to take No for an answer from the fish I'm pursuing, for very long.

Black Grape was the all around color, once upon a time. Dark enough for dark conditions, translucent enough for brighter conditions. It still would be, if it was commonly offered.

Nifty. Might save me snapping the rod some when fishing through gunk. But I think I'll stick with the Nichol's Mango.

Don't worry about the temp. It's not frozen anyway! If it's small fish it all. If you need to narrow down some real estate, try near good shallow cover, and on sharper drop-offs into the deeper water. You may find fish at the shallower (upper) lip of the drop, so don't only fish the basin.

First, where are you located? Can't be too far north -with a pond not frozen. I wouldn't necessarily pass up shallow water with cover. -hard jerkbait -jig-n-pork or creature -chatterbait slow-rolled -SB slow rolled

Bob said, "15 minutes, that's it." He's talking off the top of his head. There are researcher's in fish behavior that would disagree, and have the data to back them. Here's one: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bsc/jfb/2006/00000069/00000003/art00011 This one found 8hrs to 15hrs before the bass would even feed, much less strike a lure, much less one similar to what they were caught on. There's more to this issue than 15 minutes, or "8 or 15 hrs" for that matter. I've read this as well. My question has always been, when do they forget the negative relationship? Supposedly, they recorded negative responses still present in some fish up to three months later -from what I remember from his book. Off the top of my head I'd have said that was ludicrous. But I am in no place to judge that. I'm sure there's lots more to it than a simple answer of 'X' months or hours. But stuff like this, and observations when fishing under a variety of conditions, makes me think that conditions (sky and water) that affect activity (motivation) and visibility, weigh in enormously. Bass can learn (not reason -that's something different), and it's been shown over and over. But they can also be duped; And that's where the "fishing" comes in. Here's an example: I like (LOVE) to fish buzzbaits. But, I've learned that I'm most apt to get bit on a buzzbait under low light. Or on a bright day when there is some chop on the water. Sure there are exceptions, like when fish are actively busting prey or with bass, esp smallies, holding deep in very clear water and willing to bust a topwater. But day in and day out a buzzer works best in attenutated lighting. Lures look 'stupid' most of the time. It takes something special (conditions/motivation) to obscure that basic fact. The one place I'm most apt to expect such exceptions is on completely naive fish, aggressive highly motivated individuals (those actively feeding or those in high competition with one another), or under attenuated light -probably in that order.